 Coffee is processed by one or two methods, the dry method and the wet method. In the dry method, used where water is scarce, the ripe cherries containing the beans are shaken from the tree and laid on trays in the sun until they are dried. They are then hulled (or shelled) and the beans washed.
 In the wet method, the cherries are passed in a flow of water into a pulping machine. The machine removes the outer skins, leaving the mucilage surrounding the bean exposed. After being fermented for about 1½ days, the mucilage is then easily washed away, revealing the parchment covering the beans. In this state, still in water, the beans are divided into first and second quality, depending on their weight. They are then removed from the water, thoroughly dried, hulled and graded by size.
Samples of the crop are drawn, roasted and tasted by experts, who grade them again according to quality for putting on the market. The beans are shipped in their raw* state and roasted by specialists in consuming countries.
*The colour of raw coffee beans varies. Arabica beans are generally greenish whilst robusta beans are usually brownish. However, traders in raw coffee invariably refer to themselves as traders in "green coffee". |
